Berk Berkele eley Heigh y Heights s Sc Scho hool Dis l - PDF document

Berk Berkele eley Heigh y Heights s Sc Scho hool Dis l Distric trict t 1 Leader Leadership Pr ship Profile R file Repo eport rt January 7, 2019 Presented by: Dwight Pfennig, HYA Senior Associate

Profile Executive Summary This report presents the findings of the Leadership Profile Assessment conducted by Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) in December of 2018, in support of the search for the new superintendent of the Berkeley Heights School District. The data contained herein were obtained from input HYA Senior Associate, Dwight R. Pfennig, Ed. D., and HYA Associate, Monica M. Browne, Ed. D., received when meeting with Focus Groups and individuals in either an interview setting or larger group settings in a time spanning December 10-14, 2018, and from the results of the online survey completed by stakeholders between December 10, 2018, and December 21, 2018. Twenty-six (26) stakeholder interviews and focus group meetings were used to collect information regarding the strengths of the district, the challenges that it will be facing in the coming years, and desired characteristics for the new superintendent. The online survey was used to collect data relevant to ranking desired characteristics in the new superintendent as well as to gather open ended comments regarding those characteristics, the district/community in general, and suggestions for prospective superintendent candidates.

Fo Focus Group/Individual Conversation and and On Online S e Survey P y Partici cipants Focus Group/Individual Conversation Personal Online and Online Interviews Survey 3 Survey Participants and/or Focus Groups Board 9 NA Building Level Administrators 17 11 Central Office Administrators 6 Teachers 2 58 Parent of Student Attending School NA 165 PTO Area Council 9 NA Berkeley Heights Foundation Members 6 NA Community Members 14 9 Community Orgs./Businesses/Police 7 NA Central Office Support Staff 8 NA Support Staff Member NA 9 Students 46 5 Total 125 257 Grand Total 382

Consistently Reported Strengths • Rich diversity of the program offered by the school district. • Pride in the accomplishments of the students in the Berkeley Heights School District. • Defined strength in the secondary program offering a plethora of curricular opportunities, exceptional co- curricular activities, sports programs, and specialized programs that provide outstanding experiences for all students. • Excellent long-term leadership of the retired Superintendent who was viewed as caring, visionary, distributive, and open through excellent communication. • Appreciation for teachers and administrators who have remained dedicated to the students of the Berkeley Heights School District. • Teachers viewed as being well prepared and committed to their students and teaching assignments. • Caring Building level administrators dedicated to providing individual and group assistance for students as well as parents/care providers. • Students frequently spoke of bonding with teachers to assist them in times of academic need and in general acclimation to the school environment.

Consistently Reported Strengths • Visibility of the Superintendent by all constituents. • Support for the implementation of “safe schools” practices. • Positive relationship between central administration building level administrators, the district supervisors, and teachers. • Positive and distributive leadership model. • Sound level of expertise in the implementation of the district’s strategic plan. • Mutual respect for being allowed to do the work of administration with leadership and guidance rather than a “top down” flow of direction. • Administration and management of the district is viewed as a “team” effort. • Desire to improve. • District viewed as one that moved all students forward not leaving those in the middle, or requiring special services behind. Retaining and/or gaining recognition as a model for excellence remains a goal. • Untapped potential of community leaders, grant funding opportunities, and business partnerships as catalysts for assisting the district in reaching the goals. • Strategic Plan which is centered on student achievement viewed as the guiding force behind continuous improvement.

Consistently Reported Challenges • Concern regarding the major leadership change in the Berkeley Heights School District. • Effectiveness of the strategic plan and the need to maintain its direction. • Team effort approach to overseeing the district on all levels. • Need to engrain fresh ideas and “out of the box” thinking that could effectively address full-day Kindergarten, continued student achievement, the needs of “students in the middle,” and/or facilities utilization and improvement. • School funding with reference to a growing student population due to future building projects, addressing Mount Laurel Doctrine requirements, and maintaining the reputation of the district. • Addressing the infrastructure of the district. • Balancing class size to insure equity of opportunity for all students. • The changing demographic make-up of Berkeley Heights. • Desire for continued and increased community involvement in the school system is very strong. • Caution about retaining open communication with a new Superintendent (by community groups).

Consistently Reported Challenges • Dichotomous perceptions about the work of the Board of Education on a continuum that varied from a micromanaging Board to one which supported the work of the district in an excellent manner. • Administrators clearly appreciate an atmosphere of being team members encouraged to “do their work” and would like to see that continue. • Need for the Board to clearly “understand what administrators do” on a daily basis so they are neither “over-responding” to Board inquiries, nor taking directives from the Board. • Clarifying Board member roles within the context of the work of moving the district forward. The Berkeley Heights School District has many venues available to communicate that message.

Consistently Reported Desired Characteristics • An experienced educator with deep passion for the continued achievement of all students. • Demonstrated successful experience in developing and supporting visionary operational and academic strategies that may be transformed to Berkley Heights strategic movement forward. • Evidence of successful engagement and transparency with all community constituents built upon trust, honesty and integrity, regardless of issues at hand and/or problems to be solved. • Adaptable in developing a professional presence that is demonstrated through balanced visibility within and outside the district. • Strength as an educational evaluator with the ability to recruit, employ and retain effective personnel throughout the district. • Ability to assess the talents of all current staff and make firm/fair decisions about staff placements based on experience, performance, and ability to support strategic initiatives.

Consistently Reported Desired Characteristics • Clearly understands student achievement through detailed analysis of data. • Analytical experience that conjoins making sound programmatic and instructional judgments and/or decisions that enhance the teaching and learning process and the professional development program. • Ability to communicate effectively through several mediums. • Meet the expectation that excellent communication measures in the district continue. • Expectation of continuing exploration for improved communication outlets that supplement the needs of an interested and supportive educational community.

Survey Executive Summary The Berkeley Heights Public Schools - Superintendent Search Survey was completed by 257 stakeholders. With almost two-thirds of respondents, the largest stakeholder group surveyed were parents of students attending school. Parents of students attending school represented 64.2 percent of all respondents. Nearly a quarter of respondents were teachers. They made up the second most populous stakeholder group at 22.6 percent of all respondents. The third largest participant group were administrators at four percent of all respondents. Regarding the State of the District, the following statements were perceived to be district strengths: Technology is integrated into the classroom. (TL) • District schools are safe. (TL) • The district has high standards for student • performance. (VV) Facilities are well maintained. (M) • • The district employs effective teachers, administrators and support staff in its schools. (M)

The top-rated leadership profile characteristics constituents desire in a new superintendent are: • Foster a positive, professional climate of mutual trust and respect among faculty, staff, and administrators (CE) • Recruit, employ, and retain effective personnel throughout the District and its schools (M) • Demonstrate a deep understanding of educational research and emerging best practices and implement strategies (VV) • Establish a culture of high expectations for all students and personnel (VV) • Provide transparent communication (CE)